Tomita: The Planets [CD-4/Q8/QR]

[Ed Bishop]

Gustav Holst's famous work gets the synth treatment on RCA ARD1-1919, from 1976. Also issued on Dolby Surround CD and cassette.

Side 1:

1. MARS, The Bringer Of War
2. VENUS, The Bringer Of Peace
3. MERCURY, The Winged Messenger

Side 2:

1. JUPITER, The Bringer Of Jollity
2. SATURN, The Bringer Of Old Age
3. URANUS, the Magician
4. NEPTUNE, The Mystic

ED

[winopener]

Also issued as DVD-A, Japan only, from a CD4 record.
This is in my option THE MASTERPIECE of Tomita. The score suit well the Japanese man and bring out a different life by his own merit.
10 all around

[phydo]

Ed:

I am a BIG fan of Isao Tomita and have most of his releases. If this man ever produced a bad recording I don't know what it is. With regards to the album being polled I own the CD. IMHO the entire album exhibits excellent channel separation & dynamic range which gives the vario-matrix circuits plenty to work with. My favorite cut is "Jupiter". I gave it a ten.

Justin

[Ed Bishop]

My fave will always be SNOWFLAKES ARE DANCING, my introduction(except for the KIMBA THE WHITE LION cartoon series...)to Isao Tomita, and a work of genius and invention, IMO. I'll save further comment for that thread....

As for THE PLANETS, an exceptional mix, although I'm not sure as subtle a reworking as could have been managed. But perhaps I feel that way because there are a few brilliant 'normal' renderings, such as the Steinberg/BSO DGG Lp from '71. Regardless, this was worthy enough to be used for an '80s laserdisc, which I believe was titled VOYAGER ODYSSEY, and in Dolby Surround.

I wish RCA would put all of Tomita's major works in 5.1, since he obviously recorded his prime work with multichannel in mind. Great stuff!

ED

[britmarc]

Tomita - "Planets" available in Japan on 4.1 DVD-A ( ASIN: B00007JMHP )

as is another from 2004 "Genji Monogatari Symphony" ( ASIN: B00012T2OM )

Both in-stock at Amazon.co.jp for a combined price of Y7,000

Best regards.

Marc.

[winopener]

Too bad the dvd-a is sourced from a cd4...

[Ed Bishop]

Which is kinda ridiculous, since the quad master must have been used for the Dolby Surround edition on CD and LD....

ED

[mr_eric_s]

Which is kinda ridiculous, since the quad master must have been used for the Dolby Surround edition on CD and LD....

ED

Is there a consensus on the best sounding version of this title? I heard a DTS rip of the DVD-A and it sounded great, except for the occasional vinyl noise that I thought I was imagining until I found this forum.

[ArmyOfQuad]

In theory, the best sounding version would probably be a quad reel. The quad reel should be able to easily outperform the quad vinyl, which would also mean it should outperform the dvd-a since it's source is vinyl. However, an excellent job was done on the dvd-a, although with a bit of declicking it could've been a bit better.

[sq10]

With all due respect , I disagree that the DVD A is from a CD-4
vinyl.

The noise floor is way too low for vinyl, and if they bothered to remove it in the first place (within the digital realm), they would have removed the clicks (yes, a very shoddy job)..but you never know with Nipponese folk...

My guess is that the clicks are from the(very sloppy, Roscoe, you're a slovenly tape cleaner) tape transfer.

[ArmyOfQuad]

I've wondered about it myself, sometimes thinking, I must've been wrong, but everytime I take a listen I'm left with the conclusion it has to be a vinyl source. I will take another listen tonight.

[britmarc]

FYI: As of 2008 August 1st. Amazon.co.jp lists this title as "No longer available.... " ( although the other more recent title is still available. )

[StarTrek1701]

Regardless, this was worthy enough to be used for an '80s laserdisc, which I believe was titled VOYAGER ODYSSEY.

Sorry. I have the Voyager Odyssey LD. The soundtrack, while it is surround, is a rather lame mix of classical works. Steinberg is nowhere to be found.

Personally, I found the images striking enough, that I completely re-did the soundtrack with all new material on S-VHS back in the 90's; including Karajan's "Planets" and tracks from some of Kunzel's Cincinnati Pops recordings. It was a pretty good effort if I say so myself. I've been considering re-doing it on DVD.

[Brett]

Are we going to get a poll for the SACD of this?

[Quad Linda]

Ol' Gustav, Quad, Tomita and classical all don't get much better than this. Solidly 10, but you knew that. Sorry, classical purists, it isn't the original instrumentation. Then again, many orchestral recordings of the classics are new or revised instrumentation. Bet you knew that, too.
Always though Isao was a genius.

Linda
The Bringer Of Peace

[Doug G.]

It's funny how the critics back then just went nuts over the first release (Snowflakes Are Dancing) and then proceeded to be non-commital or even derogatory toward the subseqent records.

Almost as if they were embarrassed in front of their fellow reviewers or something. Like, "Oh, I can't admit I like electronic classical ALL the time."

They did the same thing with Walter/Wendy Carlos. It was, "Wow! 'Switched On Bach' is fabulous!" but then later ones, "Walter, what are you trying to prove?"

Stupid really.

As if the "purists" would ever know how the composer would feel about an electronic version. Who knows? Some of those guys were far out enough where they may have preferred it over conventional instruments.

I only have this in stereo and even it is wonderful synthesized with SQ.

Doug

[Disclord]

How many Tomita quad recordings got re-issued by RCA encoded in Dolby Surround? And besides Tomita, which were the other Quad's done by RCA in Dolby Surround on CD?

I think it was CD Review (or whatever it was called then) magazine that had an article about the series: RCA just summed the rear channels of the quad master to mono and fed them through the Dolby MP Matrix encoder. The front 2 channels were given a bit of phase shift, around 20 degrees total, to 'widen' them so the soundstage wouldn't narrow too much when played through a Logic based decoder with Center Channel active - any 'center channel' content was created in the decoder itself - it wasn't specifically encoded by RCA. I recall reading later that they were planning more of their quad releases on Dolby Surround CD's, but that the ones they did do sold so poorly they dropped the project. Besides, Dolby never really wanted the Dolby Stereo system used for music-only systems. In the mid-1990's I was told by Roger Dressler that Dolby Labs felt that SQ and advanced decoding should be re-introduced for music only surround releases. Of course, when PL-II came along, then Dolby had their perfect system for both films AND music only releases. Peter Scheiber had a system at the same time Dolby was looking at what became PL-II, and it even had a height channel, but due to Peter's various lawsuits against them (Dolby never treated him fairly though), they went with Fosgate, wanting nothing more to do with Scheiber.

[Quad Linda]

I can't tell you what all the other RCA Dolby Surround CD's are. I'm too damn lazy to research it on line. Besides Planets, I own Snowflakes, Pictures and Kosmos by Tomita. BTW: I own 3 copies of all these: DS CD, Japan CD & CD-4. There are three different covers for each. I also own Bach/Stokowski, another resurrected Quad, Victory at Sea & More of. Four Mancini's are also in my collection: Moon River (compilation), Morricone tribute, In Hollywood and Pink Panther, which has 5 tracks each from Panther, Charade, Hatari and 6 from Breakfast. I recall some other classical titles on RCA.

I also own a bunch of Telarc DS CD's incl Carlos' SOB 2000, PDQ Bach (3)(is he SERIOUS?), Muldaur(3), Junior Wells (2) and Son Seals.

Though worth owning, this stuff sure isn't SACD or DVD-A advanced res.

Linda
Dolby Surround Diva

How many Tomita quad recordings got re-issued by RCA encoded in Dolby Surround? And besides Tomita, which were the other Quad's done by RCA in Dolby Surround on CD?

I think it was CD Review (or whatever it was called then) magazine that had an article about the series: RCA just summed the rear channels of the quad master to mono and fed them through the Dolby MP Matrix encoder. The front 2 channels were given a bit of phase shift, around 20 degrees total, to 'widen' them so the soundstage wouldn't narrow too much when played through a Logic based decoder with Center Channel active - any 'center channel' content was created in the decoder itself - it wasn't specifically encoded by RCA. I recall reading later that they were planning more of their quad releases on Dolby Surround CD's, but that the ones they did do sold so poorly they dropped the project. Besides, Dolby never really wanted the Dolby Stereo system used for music-only systems. In the mid-1990's I was told by Roger Dressler that Dolby Labs felt that SQ and advanced decoding should be re-introduced for music only surround releases. Of course, when PL-II came along, then Dolby had their perfect system for both films AND music only releases. Peter Scheiber had a system at the same time Dolby was looking at what became PL-II, and it even had a height channel, but due to Peter's various lawsuits against them (Dolby never treated him fairly though), they went with Fosgate, wanting nothing more to do with Scheiber.

[Disclord]

I can't tell you what all the other RCA Dolby Surround CD's are. I'm too damn lazy to research it on line. Besides Planets, I own Snowflakes, Pictures and Kosmos by Tomita. BTW: I own 3 copies of all these: DS CD, Japan CD & CD-4. There are three different covers for each. I also own Bach/Stokowski, another resurrected Quad, Victory at Sea & More of. Four Mancini's are also in my collection: Moon River (compilation), Morricone tribute, In Hollywood and Pink Panther, which has 5 tracks each from Panther, Charade, Hatari and 6 from Breakfast. I recall some other classical titles on RCA.

I also own a bunch of Telarc DS CD's incl Carlos' SOB 2000, PDQ Bach (3)(is he SERIOUS?), Muldaur(3), Junior Wells (2) and Son Seals.

Though worth owning, this stuff sure isn't SACD or DVD-A advanced res.

Linda
Dolby Surround Diva

Isn't the Junior Wells actually Circle Surround? I have the DTS CD of that one - when I was working for them, they sent me huge amounts of DTS CD's, all with "Sample" stamped on the disc label, which I'd never seen done before.

Of Dolby Surround CD's, I have the RCA Home Video Album and Mancini In Surround, both of which are wonderful. I didn't know Victory At Sea was done as a Dolby CD - I'm going to have to see if my library (or lyeberry as people around here seem to pronounce it) has it available or through Inter-Library Loan.

[Quad Linda]

For brevity, I didn't list the DS Telarc titles by name. Disclord, you're thinking of Come on in this House by Junior Wells. I had a DTS-CD, which I returned to a friend at Tower and traded for the SACD when that came out. This title may have come out first in DS, though I didn't own it if it did. I was referring to a compilation from '98 called Keep on Steppin, aka Best of Junior Wells Telarc CD-83444 and Everybody's Getting Some, a DS/Spatializer 3D release from '95 Telarc CD-83360. Santana & Bonnie Raitt guest. BTW: anyone missing Come on in this House on SACD-multi is missing great performances & fidelity!

I've seen several labels that stamped sample, demo or promo on promo CD's.

Linda
Purloining the Planets thread

[Disclord]

For brevity, I didn't list the DS Telarc titles by name. Disclord, you're thinking of Come on in this House by Junior Wells. I had a DTS-CD, which I returned to a friend at Tower and traded for the SACD when that came out. This title may have come out first in DS, though I didn't own it if it did. I was referring to a compilation from '98 called Keep on Steppin, aka Best of Junior Wells Telarc CD-83444 and Everybody's Getting Some, a DS/Spatializer 3D release from '95 Telarc CD-83360. Santana & Bonnie Raitt guest. BTW: anyone missing Come on in this House on SACD-multi is missing great performances & fidelity!

I've seen several labels that stamped sample, demo or promo on promo CD's.

Linda
Purloining the Planets thread

Yep, it's "Come on in this House", which is a wonderful DTS CD, so if it sounds much better on SACD, it must be mind blowing. When I bought my Hughes SRS Retriever I almost bought the Spatializer 3D box too because Sound City was blowing them out for $29 bucks, but I cheaped out. Pioneer Video used Spatializer 3D on a number of their early DVD releases like "Gargoyles".

In the early day's of the CD format, when my family owned a video rental/electronics store, we got demo CD's and stuff from CBS/Sony and they'd usually have a "promo" or "Sample" sticker on the jacket, case or disc itself - or just be a drill-out, but the DTS CD's were the first time I'd seen it stamped directly on the disc label. I have some MCA DiscoVision LaserDiscs that have "REJECT" literally embossed into the playing surface - I assume so they couldn't accidentally be repackaged and sold.

I love reading your posts, Linda. They're not only fun, but informative.

[cupboy]

....I have some MCA DiscoVision LaserDiscs that have "REJECT" literally embossed into the playing surface - I assume so they couldn't accidentally be repackaged and sold.

Were they still playable?

[John Svensson]

There is an older website (circa 1996) that listed some of the Dolby Surround releases.....but I am also too lazy to research and this was discussed in the distant past here, but one to add was "Symphonic Music of Yes". John

[surroundme33]

This is my ultimate favorite quad recording. Hands-down the best in separation, sonics, atmosphere, music.... Amazing! I use the CD-4 as a reference record.

[Brett]

I like the SACD. I've used it as reference several times since getting it. For me it was $50 well spent.